Oscillating sprinkler

ABSTRACT

1,149,287. Spray-producers. INTERNATIONAL PATENT RESEARCH CORP. 1 Sept., 1967 [15 Nov., 1966], No. 40175/67. Heading B2F. An oscillating sprinkler comprises a perforated curved pipe 2 mounted between a water supply housing C and a bearing housing (B), Fig. 1 (not shown), the pipe 2 being oscillated by a mechanism entirely enclosed within the housing C and including a turbine 90 driven by water issuing from an aperture 116 in a water-nose connection 118, a speed-reducing gear train (Fig. 3, not shown) including gears 92, 94, 96, and an eccentric (114), Figs. 3, 4 (not shown) acting on a cylindrical projection 50 forming a part of an element 44 attached to the pipe 2, the oscillation of the element 44 and hence the pipe 2 being guided by an arcuate projection 48 moving between pairs of pins 66, 68 formed on a wall of the housing C. The housing C comprises two sections 8, 10 fitting together with a watertight wedge-action joint formed between the peripheral wall 26 of the section 10 and a wall 16 of the section 8. A further wall portion 18 of the section 8 is formed with a lip 22 adapted to engage a ledge 28 on the wall 26 of the section 10. A tab 54 formed on the arcuate projection 48 is adapted to engage projections (70, 72, Fig. 3) in the event of displacement of the pipe 2 in order to prevent rotation of the pipe to a dead-centre position where oscillation will not occur, or to a position displaced 180‹ from the required position. A widened portion 84 on a fixed shaft 80 rotatably bearing the gears 92, 94, 96 decreases friction between gears 92, 94 and prevents binding. A projection 40 on the section 8 engages a tubular portion 38 on section 10 to assist assembly of the housing C.

March 4, 1969 H0 CHOW 3,430,860

OSCILLATING SPRINKLER INVENTOR H0 C/{Oh/ March 4, 1969 Filed Nov. 15. 1966 H0 CHOW OSCILLATING SPRINKLER INVEN R H0 H0 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,430,860 OSCILLATING SPRINKLER Ho Chow, River Edge, N.J., assignor to International Patent Research Corp., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 594,611

US. Cl. 239242 20 Ciaims Int. Cl. 1505b 3/16; F1611 3/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oscillating sprinkler in which the oscillatory element has a section extending into the sprinkler housing with a part projecting therefrom toward a Wall of the housing, that wall having guide means engaging with the part for guiding the latter in movement as the oscillatory element oscillates, stops are provided engageable with the part for limiting the movement of the oscillatory element, a gear drive is provided in which a shaft has an enlarged portion axially'separating independently rotatable gears mounted thereon, and in which the housing is composed of two sealingly telescopable parts.

The present invention relates to an improved construction for an oscillating sprinkler.

An oscillating sprinkler is one in which a tube or other part from which a spray of water is adapted to emanate is oscillated back and forth, thereby to sprinkle the tube to oscillate is usually derived from the flow of water through the device, as by turning an impulse wheel which is mechanically connected to the oscillatory tube.

In the past the connection between the oscillatory tube and the impulse wheel or other flow-driven motive power means has involved a linkage, usually located externally of the housing through which the fluid flows. This has the advantage of permitting adjustment of the linkage, but it has the disadvantage of producing a cluttered appearance and of exposing the linkage to damage or dislocation caused by dirt, water or physical blows.

The sprinkling element must be journaled in the sprinkler housing for oscillatory movement and when the fluid flow means and impulse wheel are in the housing it must also be in fluid communication with the interior of that housing. Problems have therefore arisen in connection with alignment and support of the oscillatory tube and the maintaining of a leak-proof seal between the tube and the housing, which problems are accentuated by the fact that such devices are usually designed for use on home lawns and therefore must be light and inexpensive.

Since fluid must flow through the sprinkler housing, it is essential that the housing be fluid-tight. The housing casing must, in order to facilitate assembly of the operative parts, be formed of a plurality of parts adapted to be assembled together, and consequently some difficulty has been experienced in obtaining, by means of a structure which is readily and inexpensively manu-fac tured, a reliable and long-lasting fluid-tight seal between the casing parts after they are assembled.

It is the prime object of the present invention to devise an oscillating sprinkler structure which solves the problems outlined above in a manner which is much more satisfactory than has heretofore been the case. In particular, the structure of the present invention is characterized by having a minimum number of parts and an extremely compact and reliable construction. All of the operative parts except for the sprinkler tube itself are contained within the housing casing, thereby providing a maximum of reliability. The train drive employed to an appreciable area of ground. The power for causing.'I

ice

cause the tube to oscillate permits desired slow oscillatory movement without inhibiting rapid fluid flow for longdistance sprinkling and is specially constructed, by axially separating certain of the coaxially mounted gears within the train, to prevent binding of the gears when operated at low rates of fluid flow. The housing casing, within which the operative parts are received, is formed of two parts which are readily assembled together and, because of special cooperating structure thereon, an effective and reliable water-tight seal is produced without having to use any sealing strips, gaskets or other extraneous devices. The oscillating tube is so mounted on the housing and so guided relative to the housing as to facilitate assembly of the device and prevent rotational mis-positioning of the spray tube after assembly, while at the same time not adversely affecting the rotation-permitting fluid-tight seal between the housing and the tube.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the construction of an oscillatory sprinkler as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational View of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the right hand sprinkler housing of FIG. 1, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

As is conventional, the oscillating sprinkler of the present invention comprises an oscillatory element A, here shown in the form of a tube 2 having a plurality of sprinkling apertures 4 formed therein, which is mounted on left and right hand housings B and C respectively for oscillatory movement, the housings B and C being connected by a framework generally designated D which may be conventional. The left hand housing B merely provides pivotal support for the left hand end of the oscillatory element A, while the right hand housing C carries the mechanism, generally designated E, which drives the element A in oscillation, and which also carries the means generally designated F for conveying fluid to the tube 2. In order to ensure that all of the fluid conveyed to the tube 2 escapes through the sprinkling apertures 4, the left hand end of the tube 2 is closed by a plug 6.

The novelty of the present invention resides in the construction of the housing C and the parts carried thereby. The housing C comprises a casing formed of two parts or sections, a main part or section generally designated 8 and a cover part or section generally designated 10, which two parts are adapted to be assembled together conveniently, with a reliable water-tight seal formed therebetween. To that end the main casing part 8 comprises an end wall 12 and a side wall 14, the latter terminating in a bifurcated section defined by inner side wall 16 and outer side wall 18, with a channel 20 being defined there between. The outer side wall 18 extends axially Well beyond the inner side wall 16. The second or cover part 10 is provided with an end wall 24 and a side wall 26, an externally exposed ledge 28 being provided at an appropriate point along the height of the side wall 26. As may best be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4, the side wall 26 on the cover part 10 is so shaped as to be received, entirely around the periphery of the housing C, within the groove 20 formed between the side wall portions 16 and 18 on the main casing part 8. At least one of the radially inwardly facing surface 30 of the side wall 26 and the radially outwardly facing surface 32 of the side wall portion 16 is inclined so that said surfaces and 32 engage one another with an inclined wedge action as the casing parts 8 and 10 are assembled, thereby reliably ensuring the attainment of an effective seal between the casing parts. The lip 22 on the outer side wall 18 is rolled over after assembly to engage the edge 28, thereby to retain the sections 8 and 10 in assembled condition. Radially inwardly extending stops 36 may be provided on the side wall 26, which stops 36 are adapted to engage the edge of the side wall 16. The section 10 is provided with an inwardly extending open-ended tubular portion 38 into which an oppositely extending locating finger 40 mounted on the casing part 8 is adapted to be received for locating purposes.

The right hand end of the sprinkler tube 2, usually formed of metal, extends through and is journaled in an axially elongated opening 42 in the wall 24 of the casing section 10. Tube 44, which may be formed of plastic, is

received within the tube 2, rotationally oriented therewith as by causing a portion 2 of the tube 2 to extend into a slot 46 formed in the tube 44, is thereafter secured there to in any conventional fashion, as by dimpling, and has two vertically spaced sections 48 and 50 which extend into the chamber 52 defined inside the housing C. The section 48, as may best be seen from FIG. 3, is in the form of an arcuate strip with a tab 54 extending up therefrom. The section 50 comprises an element of circular periphery which is vertically displaced from the axis of oscillation of the tube 2. A sealing ring 56 is compressed between the tube 2, a recess 58 formed in the inner surface of the casing wall 24, and a radially outwardly extending portion 44 of the tube 44. The space between the sections 48 and 50, generally designated 60, is open, so that fluid can flow through that space 60 from the chamber 52 into the tube 44 and from there into the tube 2. The inner surface of the side wall 14 is provided with a pair of inwardly extending ribs 62 and 64 from which pairs of pins 66 and 68 extend, the spacings between the pins of each pair 66 and 68 being such as to permit the arcuate section 48 to be received therebetween, thereby to facilitate assembly. The cover section 10 is provided with inwardly extending lugs 70 and 72 (see FIG. 3) so located as to be in the path of travel of the tab 54 as the arcuate tube section 48 moves, thereby to function as positive stops. During normal operation the tab 54 will not engage the lugs 70 and 72. The lugs function, however, to prevent movement of the spray tube to non-functioning positions, which might otherwise be produced by mishandling of the sprinkler.

The casing section 8 has a pair of shaft supports 74 and 76 extending inwardly from end wall 12, and the casing section 10 has a corresponding pair of shaft supports 74, 76' extending inwardly from end wall 24 which register with the supports 74 and 76 respectively, shafts 80 and 82 being received within and supported by the supports 74, 74' and 76, 76' respectively. The shaft 80 has a laterally widened portion 84, and the shaft 82 has a laterally widened portion 86.

Freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 80 between the widened portion 84 thereof and the shaft support 74 is a rotatable element generally designated 88 having a lower section defining an impulse or turbine wheel 90 and an upper section defining a toothed pinion 92. Freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 80 above the widened portion 84 thereof are a pair of rotatable elements 94 and 96, each comprising a lower toothed gear section 98 or 98' respectively and an upper toothed pinion section 100 or 100' respectively. Freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 82 beneath the widened portion 86 thereof is a rotatable element generally designated 102 comprising a lower toothed gear section 104 and an upper toothed pinion section 106. Freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 82 above the widened section 86 thereof is the rotatable element generally designated 108 comprising a lower toothed gear section 109 and an upper toothed pinion section 111. Freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 82 above the rotatable element 108 is a rotatable element generally designated 110 having a lower toothed gear section 112 and an upper eccentric section 114. The elements 92 and 104, 106 and 98, 100 and 109, 111 and 98' and 100' and 112 intermesh to define a speed-reducing gear train. The gear train is driven, at its lower left hand end as viewed in FIG. 4, by the impulse or turbine Wheel 90, which is located opposite an aperture 116 (see FIG. 2) formed in the tubular part 118 which extends out from the housing C and to which a water hose or other suitable liquid conduit is adapted to be connected in any appropriate fashion, as through the conventional screw coupling unit 120 shown in FIG. 1.

As water is supplied to the sprinkler it passes through tube 118 and aperture 116, impinging upon the impulse wheel 90 and causing it to rotate, thereby, through the gear train above described, causing the eccentric 114 to swing about the axis of the shaft 82. A crank arm 122 has a part 124 rotatably received on eccentric 114 and a part 126 rotatively received on the tube section 50. Hence as the rotatable element 110 and the eccentric 114 forming a part thereof is driven in rotation about the axis of the shaft 82, the tube section 50 will be moved back and forth over an arcuate path, the tube 44 and with it the tube 2 will be oscillated, and the arcuate tube section 48 will move back and forth along an arcuate path between the pin pairs 66 and 68, with the tab 54 carried thereby moving between but not engaging the positive stops 70 and 72. While this takes place the water which has driven the impulse wheel 90 in rotation flows through the chamber 52 and the space 60 into the tube 44 and thence into the tube 2, from while it escapes through the sprinkling apertures 4.

The purpose of the widened shaft portions 84 is to separate the lowermost rotatable element 88 on the shaft 80 from the more slowly moving rotatable element 94 which is located thereabove. In this way any tendency of the gear train to bind or stick is eliminated. The problem of binding is particularly prevalent when the rate of water flow through the device is low, as may be the case when local water pressure is reduced or when only light sprinkling is desired. Under such circumstances the impulse wheel 90 is urged into rotation by means of a force which is only minimal, and in the absence of the enlarged shaft portion 84 the gear train will tend to bind, and as a result the tube 2 will not oscillate at all, or only intermittently and unevenly. The enlarged shaft portion 86 on the shaft 82 is helpful in minimizing friction between gears 106 and 109, but is not believed to be as important to proper operation of the sprinkler as the enlarged shaft portion 84 on the shaft 80.

Because the tube 2 is driven in rotation from within the housing C, all of the driving parts are protected against damage. To facilitate assembly of the parts, the arcuate tube section 48 and the pin pairs 66 and 68 are provided. The positive stops 70 and 72 enagageable with the tab 54 carried by the tube section 48 ensure a maximum oscillatory movement of the tube 44 and with it the tube 2, while at the same time preventing the crank connection from being moved, by forces applied to the tube 2, to a blocking dead center position or past the dead center position so as to cause oscillation in an orientation degrees removed from that which is desired. The housing sections 8 and 10 may conveniently be formed of molded plastic material, the side wall portions 16 and/or 26 having sufficient resiliency as to permit the sectious 8 and 10 to be assembled with one another as described, the walls 16 and/or 26 resiliently deforming to define a water-tight seal therebetween. Any buildup of pressure within the chamber 52 will act to press the wall 16 more firmly against the wall 26, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the seal precisely when such enhancement is desirable.

All of the parts may very readily be manufactured from metal or plastic, and need not be made to any high degree of precision. As a result an attractive, clean and uncluttered-looking lawn sprinkler may be produced at a truly minimal cost without sacrifice of, and in many respects with enhancement of, the functional attributes of the device.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, all within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In an oscillating sprinkler comprising a housing having a Water inlet, an inner chamber, and a water outlet in fluid communication with one another, said water outlet being formed in a first wall of said housing and an oscillatory element articulately mounted on said housing, in fluid communication with said water outlet, and having a section extending through said water outlet; the improvement which comprises said housing comprising a second wall spaced from said first wall, said section extending into said housing and having a part directed toward said second wall, guide means on said second wall engaged by said part for guiding the latter in movement as said element oscillates, and driving means operatively connected to said element and efiective to cause said element to oscillate.

2. The sprinkler of claim 1, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves.

3. In the sprinkler of claim 2, stop means fixed to said housing, extending thereinto so as to interrupt the path of movement of said part, and adapted to be engaged by said part at opposite extremes of movement of said element, thereby defining limit stops for said part and said element.

4. The sprinkler of claim 2, in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at. a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crank-connected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

5. In the sprinkler of claim 2, stop means fixed to said housing, extending thereinto so as to interrupt the path of movement of said part, and adapted to be engaged by said part at opposite extremes of movement of said element, thereby defining limit stops for said part and said element, and in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crank-connected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

6. In the sprinkler of claim 1, stop means fixed to said housing, extending thereinto so as to interrupt the path of movement of said part, and adapted to be engaged by said part at opposite extremes of movement of said element, thereby defining limit stops for said part and said element.

7. The sprinkler of claim 6, in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crank-connected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

8. The sprinkler of claim 1, in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crank-connected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element section.

9. The sprinkler of claim 1, in which said driving means comprises a shaft, a plurality of independently rotatable elements mounted on said shaft and comprising a gear train having a driven end and a driving end, said shaft having a laterally widened portion between a first element thereon close to said driven end of said train and a second element thereon closer respectively to said driving end of said train than said first element, said first and second elements on said shaft engaging said widened portion and being separated from one another thereby, and means for rotating the element on said driven end of said train, the element at said driving end of said train being operatively connected to said oscillatory element.

10. The sprinkler of claim 9, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves.

11. The sprinkler of claim 9, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves, and stop means fixed to said housing, extending thereinto so as to interrupt the path of movement of said part, and adapted to be en gaged by said part at opposite extremes of movement of said element, there-by defining limit stops for said part and said element.

12. The sprinkler of claim 9, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves, and in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crank-com nected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

13. The sprinkler of claim 9, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves, stop means fixed to said housing, extending thereinto 50 as to interrupt the path of movement of said part, and adapted to be engaged by said part at opposite extremes of movement of said element, thereby defining limit stops for said part and said element, and in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm-crank-connected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

14. The sprinkler of claim 9, in which said housing comprises front and rear sections having substantially axially extending side wall portions, the side wall portion of one section comprising radially outer and inner walls defining a channel therebetween, the side Wall portion of said other section being received within said channel and engaging said inner wall of said one section with an inclined wedge action, and means for retaining said sections in assembled condition.

15. The sprinkler of claim 1, in which said housing comprises front and rear sections having substantially axially extending side wall portions, the side wall portion of one section comprising radially outer and inner walls defining a channel therebetween, the side Wall portion of said other section being recieved within said channel and engaging said inner wall of said one section with an inclined wedge action, and means for retaining said sections in assembled condition.

16. The sprinkler of claim 15, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves.

17. The sprinkler of claim 16, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves, and in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crankconnected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

18. The sprinkler of claim 16, in which said part defines an essentially arcuate strip and said guide means defines an operatively arcuate track within which said strip is received and moves, stop means fixed to said housing, extending thereinto so as to interrupt the path of travel of said part, and adapted to be engaged by said part at opposite extremes of movement of said element, thereby defining limit stops for said part and said element, and in which said section comprises a second part extending into said housing at a point spaced from said first mentioned part and from the axis of oscillation of said section, said driving means being in said housing and comprising an arm crank-connected to said second part, thereby to produce said operative connection between said driving means and said oscillatory element.

19. In an oscillating sprinkler comprising a housing having a water inlet, an inner chamber, and a water outlet in fluid communication with one another, and an element articulately mounted on said housing and in fluid communication with said water outlet; the improvement which comprises said housing comprising front and rear sections having substantially axially extending side wall portions, the side wall portion of one section comprising radially outer and inner walls defining a channel therebetween, the side wall portion of said other section being received within said channel and engaging said inner wall of said one section with an inclined wedge action, and means to retain said sections in assembled condition.

20. In an oscillating sprinkler comprising a housing having a water inlet, an inner chamber and a water outlet in fluid communication with one another, an oscillatory element articulately mounted on said housing, in fluid communication with said water outlet, and having a section extending into said chamber, and driving means in said housing, operatively connected to said oscillatory element section, and effective to drive the latter so as to cause said element to oscillate; the improvement which comprises said driving means comprising a shaft, a plurality of independently rotatable elements mounted on said shaft and comprising a gear train having a driven end and a driving end, said shaft having a laterally wid ned portion between a first element thereon close to said driven end of said train and a second element thereon closer to said driving end of said train than said first element, said first and second elements on said shaft engaging said widened portion and being separated from one another thereby, and means for rotating the element on said driven end of said train, the element at said driving end of said train being operatively connected to said oscillatory element and comprising said driving means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,187,549 1/1940 Thompson 239-242 3,073,532 1/1963 Rinkewich 239242 3,113,693 12/1963 Stull 2206O M. HENSON WOOD, I 11., Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL Y. MAR, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 74325; 220- 

